State Roundup

Adrian Police in southern Mich. probe mysterious marker MORENCI, Mich. (AP) -- A resident of the southern Michigan community of Morenci found a grave marker in the backyard. The Daily Telegram of Adrian reports the person was doing some gardening recently and discovered the marker, buried face down about a foot under the yard's surface. The question for Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks is this: Who are Darrel F. and Catherine R. Gottschalk? The full-sized marker indicates Darrel was born in 1914 and died in 1972, while Catherine's birth date is listed as 1928. Weeks is trying to figure out why the stone was there. The chief tracked down a previous resident who lived at the house in the 1970s, but the person didn't know the Gottschalks. Database and archive searches also came up empty. Brighton Huron-Clinton parks face discrimination lawsuits BRIGHTON, Mich. (AP) -- A park system in Michigan is facing lawsuits claiming its law enforcement department's hiring and promotion practices favor minority candidates over older white males. The Detroit Free Press reports Monday at least four lawsuits have been filed against the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority and officials since November, claiming age, race or sex discrimination. George Steele, an attorney representing the park system, says many complaints about the department stem from a reorganization begun in 2005. He acknowledged some officers are unhappy, but says the park system has a "professionally organized and efficient" department. Sixty-three-year-old Cmdr. Harley Rider of Washtenaw County's Dexter Township says he was improperly passed over for the chief's job. His case is scheduled for trial in July. The park system says there was another more qualified candidate. Published: Tue, May 15, 2012